Wind powered generator with gravity assisted mechanical advantage booseter

ABSTRACT

The wind powered mechanical and electric power generator, is a process and apparatus which uses the mechanical advantage of a lever arm to multiply the energy of a moving or mobile weight which is wind powered from a propeller drive, and converts by gravity and mechanical advantage said energy to useful work. The unit consists in its simplest form of a counter balanced wheel on one side of a centerline shaft and a concentrated weight on the opposite side, both kept rigid by a connecting structure beam, the entire unit made to revolve around the centerline shaft by moving a mobil weight around the wheel perimeter in concert with the units rotation so as to continually produce an off-balance of weights, which then uses gravity to cause the total unit to rotate. The mobile weight is driven around the wheel by a wind powered small propeller.

HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A "windmill" is a wind powered machine that is used to do useful work.The original windmill is believed to be persian in origin, characterizedby sails rigged on spokes radiating from a vertical axis.

Windmills appeared in Europe during the 11th century with the rotor axisinclined at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. By the 17th century,windmills were in widespread use throughout Europe.

The first windmills in the United States were built by the Dutch onManhatten Island in the early 17th century. The fixed portion of themill housing took the form of an octagonal tower in which the chiefbearing members were eight inward leaning posts. The gable roofed cap ofthe mill was a separate structure supported by a ring beam known as thecurb. The cap was free to rotate with wind direction. Four sails onlight rectangular frames from rigid arms swept an area of 60 feet (±) indiameter and rotated a tilted drive shaft, which in turn transmittedmechanical power for useful work.

A variety of blades or propellers have been introduced to attempt toachieve the maximum of theoretical energy from a given area of windinteruption at a given wind velocity. These are the "savonious", orvertical figure "s" rotor; American multiblade, typical of the familiar"farm pump mill"; the Dutch four arm, rectangular frame blades on rigidsupport arms rotor; high speed, two blade, or airplane propeller type;Darrieus Rotors, vertical blades around a vertical rotor; and the vortextower, with wind directed from horizontal to vertical by adeflectorthrough a vertical squirrel cage rotor. No prior art has been disclosedthat uses "mechanical advantage" of gravity and wind power combined toproduce useful work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The wind generator rotating units are mounted on a foundation,preferably a rigid frame 1, and rotate around a main shaft and bearing2. FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are illustrative of two counter balancedweights, W₁ representing preferably a solid mass or weight and W₂ awheel or circular structure mass or weight within which a weighted unitor mass, W₃ is caused to rotate around its circumference. The solidweight W₁ and the wheel W₂ are counter balanced so that the product oftheir distances, (W₁ ×D₁) weight-one times distance-one, is preferablyequal to (W₂ ×D₂) weight-two times distance-two. Thus, when the unit orstructural connection beam 3 is at rest, the force of gravity actsequally on both the right and left side of the main shaft and bearing 2.The main shaft 2 is connected to an alternator or generator forproduction of electric energy or mechanical drives for product ofmechanical energy.

To produce useful electrical or mechanical energy, the weights W₁ and W₂with their rigid connective member (3) are caused to revolve by use ofwind energy which first produces a revolving action in one or morepropeller blades 4 which in turn produce a rotary action of weight W₃,and by mechanical, pheumatic, or hydraulic means moves the weight W₃within or without the circumference of the wheel to produce an imbalanceof forces around the shaft 2. When the product of W₁ ×D₁ is less than W₂×D₂ +W₃ ×D₃ as illustrated with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structural beam 3will revolve clockwise around the shaft 2 and produce useful work insaid shaft. The weight W₃ is always moved in concert by the wind energywhich is converted to mechanical energy via the propeller on the rightside of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 so as to maintain its locaton outside or to theright of the centerline of the wheel W₂, thus producing a greaterdownward pull of gravity on the right side of the shaft and thusproducing rotary action. In like manner, the weight W₃ is similarlymoved by wind energy converted to mechanical energy via the propeller onthe left side of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 so as to maintain its location inside,or to the right of the centerline of the wheel W₂, thus transferring thegreater gravity pull to W₁ on the right side of the shaft and thuscontinuing the production of rotary action. This is illustrated by theformula W₁ ×D₁ is greater than W₂ ×D₂ +W₃ ×D₄. The circumferentialvelocity of the mechanical device being used to move weight W₃ aroundthe circumference of the wheel W₂ is designed to move around the wheelW₂ one full perimeter or circumference distance with each 360°revolution of weights W₁ and W₂ around the shaft 2.

The illustration heretofore is for a single pair of weights W₁ and W₂,their counter balance being control imbalanced by W₃ ; but which inpractice can be multiple units or pairs; so established around one ormore shafts 2.

FIG. 1 illustrates the relative locations of W₁, W₂ with respect to anarbitrary starting position of W₂ on the right side of shaft 2 and athorizontal or 90° to vertical; then in 45° increments through a full360° revolution. Weights W₁ and W₂ revolve around a common centerlineshaft 2; whereas W₃ revolves about a point in space center line 5 to theright of the shaft.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The drawing FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are illustrative of the physical laws whichmake the disclosure of use of gravity and mechanical advantageapplicable to conversion of wind energy to useful mechanical energy.

FIG. 1--Illustrates a full 360° revolution of two counter balancedmasses or weights W₁ W₂ rigidly mounted on a connective beam 3 which iscaused to revolve around a support shaft and bearing 2 by means of acontrolled imbalance produced by moving a weight W₃ to specificlocations during the 360° revolution. Weight W₃ being moved to andlocated in said specific locations by a spur gear, worm gear, or othergear arrangement; or pneumatic or hydraulic drive also a part of thewheel W₂.

FIG. 2--Illustrates the position of W₂ ×D₂ +W₃ ×D₃ being of greatermoment than W₁ ×D₁ thus producing rotation clockwise.

FIG. 3--Illustrates the position of W₁ ×D₁ being of greater moment thanW₂ ×D₂ +W₃ ×D₄ thus producing rotation clockwise.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The explanation and description of the invention is best illustrated byway of example. The following example is descriptive of the single orsimplest configuration of rotating units, whereas greater power orenergy is achieved by use of multiple units.

The example hereafter is illustrative of a single counter-balance pairof masses or weights W₁ and W₂. Since these are counter-balanced weightsrepresenting the structural members and connection beam 3; and althoughare applicable masses or weights which must be taken into considerationwhen designing the strength of support structures, and kinetic energy(MV²) factors, are common to structural designs of similar rotatingmembers and well known to those who are experienced in the design ofsuch structures and are therefore not detailed herein.

For example, 20,000 W are desired from a single pair of masses W₁ and W₂revolving around the power take off shaft 2.

Maximum design velocity of the outer most revolving part is preferably(26) twenty-six miles per hour (2288 feet per minute). In this examplethe exterior perimeter of W₂ is selected outside the diameter of W₁ andthus is chosen at a design velocity of 26 mph. An alternate design isjust as permissible for W₁ to have a larger diameter of rotation than W₂and thus being the controlling (blade tip) velocity/mass factor.

A KW of electrical energy is equivalent to 4.425 ×104 foot pounds perminute; therefore it is necessary to produce 88.5 ×104 foot pounds perminute of energy from the unit. Losses due to mechanical efficiency arenot taken into account in this example, but in actual field design forpractical use must be taken into consideration.

The design selected herewith by way of example selected a D₁ and D₂ of7.5 feet with a wheel or W₂ diameter of 10.0 feet.

The mass required to produce 88.5 ×10⁴ foot pounds of energy with a 26mph (2288 feet per minute) calculates to be 387.63 pounds. The shiftingof mass from W₃ at top and full vertical and the entire unit in balanceto W₃ at 90° and at maximum moment or reaction (W₃ ×D₃); thence returnto W₃ at bottom, and full vertical thus requires the equivalent mass orweight be increased to 581.45 pounds. The MV² kinetic energy of the massW₃ and its velocity thus carries the mass or weight of W₃ in a continualrotation around its point in space centerline 5; in concert with W₁ andW₂. The supplemental energy required to continue the rotation of theentire unit W₁, W₂ and W₃ around the power takeoff shaft 2 is the energylost to friction (including wind resistance to rotation), which issupplied by preferably a 12 foot diameter blade tip to blade tip, threeblade propeller producing 800 to 9500 W depending on wind speed with2000 W, as per example herewith, designated to overcome friction whenthe wind velocity is a rated wind velocity of 21 mph and a cutoff with awind velocity of 7 mph. The perimeter or circumference velocity of thewheel for this example at 25 foot diameter of unit with a periferalvelocity at design of 2280 feet per minute thus reduces to a shaft 2revolution of 4.6448 rpm. A mechanical speed increaser, increases thealternator or generator shaft speed to that selected as appropriate tothe power take of desired.

Preferably a jockey or alternative power source is used to move the massW₃ to the vertical position on the right side of the shaft for startingrotation and a speed control device such as a governor is instlledbetween the propeller drive and W₃ or on the propeller proper.

Thus has been disclosed and taught how mechanical advantage can be takenadvantage of when converting wind energy to electrical or mechanicalpower for useful work.

The example along with mechanical factors used herein are by way ofillustration and not restrictive to the use of the art and sciencetaught by this disclosure.

The unit is kept perpendicular to the wind by either automaticmechanical device or motor driven, device as are common to the market ofwind generation devices.

Those familiar with wind power devices will have no difficulty selectingsuch a device to satisfy the particular design and locations of theunit.

the height of the centerline shaft 2 is preferably located to takeadvantage of the maximum average wind power availability for siteselected. Those familiar with wind power generation will have nodifficulty in selecting the optimum height for design of unit selected.

The rotating device selected for conversion of the wind power tomechanical energy and rotation of weight W₃ can be a "savonious",American multi blade, Dutch four arm, high speed two or more blade,Darrieus, or Vortex Tower; or any other mechanical device which firstuses wind power to create rotary motion in a shaft, which is then usedto move weight W₃ to its respective locations in the wheel.

While the invention has been described in a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the disclosure has been by way ofexample and that details so explained may be made without departing fromthe spirit thereof. For example the mobile weight is moved back andforth from right to left along a horizontal line maintained through thecenterline of the wheel thus achieving the same imbalance control of theweight distribution as moving it along the perimeter of the wheel.

I claim:
 1. What is claimed is the method of converting wind energy tomechanical energy by the use of the mechanical advantage of the windenergy providing a continuously off-balance condition wherein gravity isput to work assisting the wind energy in the production of energy foruseful work such as mechanical rotary motion or generation of electricalenergy by the;use of a counter balanced pair or multiple pairs ofweights, one of which is a concentrated mass, one of which is a circleor wheel configuration mass, then providing for an imbalance between theconcentrated mass, and the wheel or circle mass, by the controlledlocation of an auxiliary mass within the wheel, such as to first addincreased force on the downward motion of the wheel side of the counterbalanced unit. then reduce the force on the upward motion of the wheelside of the counter balanced unit, causing the force on the concentratedmass to exceed that on the wheel and auxiliary mass and thus take on adownward rotation, the auxiliary mass moving along the wheel inpredesigned locations, such as to continuously produce a greater forceon the downward motion side of the rotating unit, the auxiliary massmoving along the wheel by the conversion of wind energy to rotary motionby means of a propeller, savonious rotor, American mult blade rotor,Dutch four arm rotor, high speed two or more blade propeller, Darriousrotor, Vortex tower rotor, or any other similar device, and located atspecific balance points or locations within or without the wheel bymeans of gears, chains, belts, pneumatic, or hydraulic device orcombination of devices,thus using the mechanical advantage of mass timesits distance or lever arm, with the mass acted on by gravity, to convertwind energy to useful work.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein therotation of the concentrated mass and wheel mass is centered about acenterline shaft and bearing, but the center of rotation of theauxiliary mass within the wheel is a "point in space" located to theright of the shaft for clockwise rotation units, and left of shaft forcounter clockwise rotation units.
 3. The method of claim 1 where theratio of the diameter of the outermost rotating mass to the distance the"point in space" centerline of the auxiliary mass is right or left ofthe shaft is a measure of the mechanical advantage of the mechanicalenergy to wind energy.
 4. The method of claim 1 with the production ofmechanical energy via a rotating shaft for useful work.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 with the use of a generator for direct current electric power.6. The method of claim 1 with the use of an alternator for alternatingcurrent electric power.
 7. The method of claim 1 with clockwise rotationas the direction of rotation.
 8. The method of claim 1 with counterclockwise rotation as the direction of rotation.
 9. The method of claim1 wherein the concentrated mass has a larger diameter of travel thandoes the wheel mass.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the concentratedmass has a lessor diameter of travel than does the wheel mass.
 11. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the mobil mass is alternately moved in concertwith the revolution of the total unit to the right and then to the leftof the centerline of the wheel configuration in a horizontal directionrather than in a circular motion at the wheel perimeter.